DARPA Go Crazy
The Defence Advanced Research Agency is the extreme research wing of the US Military, always pushing the leading edge. One of their great strengths is that no idea is too crazy for them, to outsiders they may sometimes look like a bunch of mad scientists...
 Giant Flying Walrus
Military air transport relies on aircraft like the Hercules which can carry about thirty tons. DARPA want to replace this with a giant airship called Walrus which can carry no less than five hundred tons. It would be able to deliver its cargo to places where there are no runways, or even roads.
Unlike earlier airships, Walrus would be aerodynamic and fast, with a speed of 80 mph and a range of several thousand miles. The US Congress have cut funding for giant airships, but DARPA like the idea and are still doing some research. Civil versions might follow, and giant airships, which are much greener than airliners, may one day dominate the skies.
Underwater Express
Submarines are slower than surface ships because of the drag exerted by the water, but a new technology being developed by DARPA may overcome that. At very high speeds there is an effect called supercavitation which can surround your entire craft is encased in a huge bubble with minimal friction. DARPA are harnessing this effect n their Underwater Express, a jet-powered mini-submarine. This will carry small teams of Special Forces, infiltrating enemy coasts and rivers underwater at 100 mph – that's faster than a torpedo.
Kill-Proof Soldiers
DARPA are also active in finding innovative medical technology, and one of their more ambitious schemes is for 'kill-proof' soldiers who are resistant to disease, chemical agents and nuclear radiation. Part of this will involve synthetic vitamins and preventive drugs which will prevent the body from being damaged. Another approach is identifying 'universal antibodies' that are effective against a wide range of diseases, and then encouraging the body to produce them. They are also looking at ways of predicting how diseases mutate, so vaccines can be prepared before the disease strikes.
 Morphing Robots
We usually think of robots as being solid machines made of metal or plastic, but what about flexible robots that could change shape? DARPA calls them Chemical Robots, and plans machines that might be able to squeeze down a chimney or even through a letterbox. DARPA are working with a company called iRobot to build the hardware. iRobot currently specialise in machines like the Roomba robot Hoover, so perhaps morphing household droids are on the way.
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